Salleh, who was being treated for a lung infection, passed away at 4.40am, Berita Harian reported.

His wife Fatmah Abdul Aziz confirmed that he had been warded at the hospital for about two weeks.

His remains will be brought to Masjid Firdaus in Kampung Sapagaya for funeral prayers before being buried at the Kampung Terusan Muslim cemetery after the Zuhur prayers.

Salleh won the Silam parliamentary seat on a Barisan Nasional ticket in 2008, when he was with Sabah Umno. He was a one-term MP.

The parliamentary constituency of Silam was renamed to Lahad Datu in 2019 as part of a redelineation exercise.

Salleh later joined PKR and remained active in politics until his death.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Amirah Mahfuzah Syopieah and Amera Elezadiba Syalesiah.